Chinese Wife
by AJCrane
Summary: Old West in Flashback In China 1800's. Henry Raphael Caine reflects on the words of his father and his marriage to Su Ling. There is no category for just Kung Fu. There should be. So, I've placed it in KF:TLC. Without Kung Fu, there would not be KF:TLC.


Chinese Wife

By

AJ

Thomas Henry Caine looked out into the square of the village, his jaw a tight knot. For the umpteenth time he questioned why he had come to this godforsaken place. But each time he would turn to his wife and know the answer. It was the only place he had been made to feel welcome. Thomas Henry Caine closed his eyes and remembered.

"We're going to get married, father."

"You're what?" Henry Raphael Caine stared at his son as if he was insane. "Your mother would be turning over in her grave. You barely buried your first wife and now you want to marry a Chinese heathen?"

"Father, you know it's been three years since Mary died," Thomas tried to reason with his father. "How long must I continue to mourn her death? You know she wouldn't want me to remain a widower forever."

"You will not marry a Chinese whore so long as you live in my house! Your mother would never approve."

"Mother would have understood. I was the one who took care of her. I was the one who buried her. You were off at the quarry or drunk half the time."

"You will not marry that girl!" Henry bellowed.

"She has no other family here. She was there when I needed someone when my wife died."

"Send her back to China where she belongs."

"I love her father," said Thomas.

"What about Danny? I won't have my grandson raised by an opium smoking Chinese whore. I don't want him thinking that she's his mother when she isn't"

"Don't tell me how to raise my son," Thomas declared. "She's not like that."

"You marry that woman, and Daniel remains with me. I will disown you," Henry threatened.

"And turn him into a bitter old man like you? Forget it! He's my son and I'll raise him as I see fit. That's why Mom died, she didn't want to live with you. You drove her to her grave with your drinking. I won't have the same thing happen to Danny."

*SLAP!* "I loved your mother," Henry declared.

"You could have fooled me," Thomas stated under his breath as he rubbed his stinging cheek.

"You marry that Chinese whore and you will never see your son again."

Thomas Henry Caine picked up his hat. "I've got a schedule to keep. My ship leaves tomorrow. When I return, I want my son's things packed and ready to leave."

But his father was true to his word. As soon as Henry married Su Ling and returned from his trip, his father and Daniel were gone. So, rather than remain Thomas took his new wife, who was with child, and returned to China. He would never see his home again.

'I should have taken Danny with me that night,' he said. 'Now I'll never see him again.'

A baby's cry rent the night as the new life emerged.

"You have a healthy new son," the old apothecary stated.

"A new to replace the old," Henry said distracted.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Just thinking about the past."

"Your wife and child will receive you now."

"Thank you," Henry stated.

Thomas Henry Caine entered the birthing room. His wife was sitting up in bed, now in clean clothes holding their newly born child. He was surprised to see he had a full head of dark nearly black hair. He watched as his wife placed their son near one of her breasts and he began to suckle.

"He's beautiful, Su Ling."

"The child must be given a name so the Tao may know him," Su Ling stated.

"I'm not good with names. Why don't you name him, something Chinese."

"I would like to name him after an ancestor of mine, Kwai Chang."

"Kwai Chang Caine," Henry ran the words through his mind and off his tongue. "I like that. Sounds like he will go far some day."

"I wish he could meet his grandfather."

"My father probably wouldn't accept him. He's got two grandparents here who will love him. That's going to have to be enough."

"You can send him a letter," Su Ling suggested.

"I'll do that. I just hope he'll read them. My father can be pretty stubborn. Maybe some day I'll tell him about his brother, too. I am sorry that Danny could not be here."

"Maybe someday they'll meet," Su Ling suggested.

'Always the optimist,' Henry thought. 'That's why I married her. She helped to heal the aching in my heart. I just wish my father understood that.' Henry pulled the silk coverlet away so he could gaze on his son's face once more. He was going to be a handsome child. He would share their heritage, perhaps his height, and more her Chinese complexion and eyes. 'I wonder if he'll have my eye color.'

And with those last thoughts, Thomas Henry Caine lay back and enjoyed the presence of his new family.

End


End file.
